WA · Seattle · Updated October 15, 2026

Physician Assistant jobs in Seattle, WA

Pay for physician assistants in the Seattle area centers on $78.59 per hour, or about $163,460 a year. The lower quarter earns under $66.85 and the upper quarter over $84.47. The CMS hospital directory lists 9 hospitals in Seattle. That ranks 8th of 329 U.S. metro areas for physician assistant pay, and 39th of 301 once local prices are factored in. The free report below lists employers near Seattle and what they pay.

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Open Physician Assistant roles in Seattle

More open Physician Assistant roles in Seattle

11 more open roles from employers in Seattle. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.

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Named employers near Seattle, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.

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Who is hiring physician assistants near Seattle

EmployerRolesMedian pay / hour
UW Medicine10$73.06
One Medical3$77.12

Physician Assistant pay in Seattle, WA

The metro median is 4% above the Washington statewide median of $75.47 per hour. Nationally the median is $64.07 per hour. BLS counts about 1,910 physician assistants employed in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro area, 0.9 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.91).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$60.04$124,8806% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$66.85$139,0504% above U.S. median
Median$78.59$163,46023% above U.S. median
Upper quartile$84.47$175,70032% above U.S. median
Top 10%$101.48$211,08058% above U.S. median

How Seattle ranks

  • 8th of 329 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 39th of 301 after adjusting for local prices
  • 1st of 8 Washington metro areas

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Physician Assistants (SOC 29-1071), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.

What your pay buys in Seattle

  • Overall prices in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue run 11% above the U.S. average (index 111.1, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 51% above the U.S. average (index 151.3).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $78.59 median hour buys what $70.72 buys at the national price level, 10% above the national median.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.

Estimate your Seattle paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$2,829
  • Per year: $141,462
  • Per month: $11,788
  • Washington has no state income tax on wages.

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Seattle

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$208
Meals and incidentals per day$92
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$2,100
13-week assignment$27,300

Travel physician assistant assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.

Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).

Hospitals in Seattle

CMS lists 9 hospitals in Seattle, 5 of the 6 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of physician assistants.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Virginia Mason Medical Center
Seattle, WA		Acute careNonprofit5 of 5Yes
Seattle Va Medical Center (Va Puget Sound Healthcare System)
Seattle, WA		Acute Care - Veterans AdministrationGovernment and federal4 of 5Yes
Swedish Medical Center
Seattle, WA		Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Swedish Medical Center / Cherry Hill
Seattle, WA		Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
University Of Washington Medical Ctr
Seattle, WA		Acute careGovernment and federal4 of 5No
Harborview Medical Center
Seattle, WA		Acute careGovernment and federal2 of 5Yes
Kaiser Permanente Central Hospital
Seattle, WA		Acute careNonprofitNot ratedYes
Seattle Children's Hospital
Seattle, WA		Children'sNonprofitNot ratedYes
Navos - Inpatient Services
Seattle, WA		PsychiatricNonprofitNot ratedNo

Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.

Primary care shortage areas in King County

HRSA lists 23 active primary care shortage designations that include King County (3 geographic, 4 population-group, 16 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 21 on a 0 to 25 scale, where a higher score means a greater shortage.

Shortage areas are where demand for nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other clinicians is greatest. Federal loan repayment programs such as the NHSC and Nurse Corps cover some clinicians who work at eligible shortage-area sites. Eligibility is set by each program and by the site, so ask your recruiter before you plan around it.

Source: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas data warehouse, designated areas only. A designation can cover part of a county.

Physician Assistant pay in nearby cities

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
Kirkland, WA9 mi$78.59/hr95,499
Bellevue, WA9 mi$78.59/hr154,377

Physician Assistant jobs in Washington · Physician Assistant jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in Washington

Master’s degree from an accredited PA program. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Washington requires for your role with the Washington licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.

Washington does not tax wage income at the state level, so take-home pay is higher than the same gross pay in a state that does.

Washington state guide

Other healthcare roles in Seattle

Seattle city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do physician assistants make in Seattle, WA?

Physician Assistants in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro area have a median pay of $78.59 per hour, about $163,460 a year. The middle half earn between $66.85 and $84.47 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is Seattle a good place for physician assistants once cost of living is counted?

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue ranks 39th of 301 metro areas for physician assistant pay after adjusting for local prices, and 8th of 329 before adjusting. Overall prices run 11% above the U.S. average.

Who is hiring physician assistants in Seattle?

We list 13 open roles with published pay from 2 employers in Seattle. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Seattle.

Do I need a Washington license to work in Seattle as a physician assistant?

Master’s degree from an accredited PA program. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Washington requires for your role with the Washington licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.

Is Seattle in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 23 active primary care shortage designations that include King County. Shortage areas often have more openings, and some loan repayment programs cover clinicians who work at eligible sites.

What is the per diem for a travel assignment in Seattle?

The federal per diem benchmark in Seattle is $208 a night for lodging and $92 a day for meals and incidentals, about $2,100 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place physician assistants in Seattle?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Seattle and across Washington. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Seattle.

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What do employers near Seattle pay physician assistants? Get the report.

Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.

  1. 1
    Pay for your role at other hospitals

    The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.

  2. 2
    What they are offering now

    The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.

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Pay report · PA near Seattle, WA
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your PA pay reportSeattle, WA · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • One MedicalSeattle, WA · 7 postings$77.12/ hr$70–$88
  • UW MedicineSeattle, WA · 10 postings$73.06/ hr$58–$97
  • MultiCareTacoma, WA · 16 postings$73.37/ hr$39–$103

Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.

2What they are offering now

Low$62Median$75.05High$84

34 PA postings with published pay in Washington, 25 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 34 PA roles

  1. Physician Assistant (PA) or Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) - PulmonologyPermanent
    $157k–$161k/ year
    MultiCare · Yakima, WA · posted yesterday
  2. Physician Assistant (PA) or Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) - Sleep MedicinePermanent
    $152k–$157k/ year
    MultiCare · Yakima, WA · posted yesterday

+ 32 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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